Patent US4671533A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4671533A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Suspension controller
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
•
Filing: 1985-12-31
•
Granted: 1987-06-09
•
Expires: 2005-12-31
Abstract
Abstract A suspension controller for controlling the suspension characteristic of a vehicle having a suspension which supports a vehicle body on plural wheels, wherein the distance between the vehicle body and at least one of the wheels is measured and a corresponding signal indicating the height of the vehicle is produced. This height signal is compared against preset reference signals and the characteristic of the suspension is altered, e.g., the suspension is made harder or softer, in dependance on the comparison. Additionally, the preset reference signals themselves are changed depending upon the alteration in the characteristic of the suspension. Changing the reference signals eliminates influence of the change in the amplitude of vibration of the height of the vehicle as a result of altering of the suspension characterisitc, whereby exact detection of a change in the amplitude of the vibration due to irregularities of the road surface is enabled to prevent overcontrol and hunting.
Inventors
- 👤 Ken Asami
- 👤 Kaoru Ohashi
- 👤 Toshio Onuma
- 👤 Shuuichi Buma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:59
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/015; B60G17/016; B60G2400/00; B60G2400/80; B60G2400/82; B60G2401/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S280/00; Y10S280/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A suspension controller for a vehicle having a suspension between a vehicle body and a wheel, comprising: vehicle height detection means for detecting the height of the vehicle and for generating a signal indicating the height of the vehicle; judgment means for comparing the amplitude of the vehicle height signal with preset reference signals to generate a judgment result signal; a suspension characteristic control means for altering a characteristic of the suspension depending on said judgment result signal; and a reference signal change means for changing the reference signals for the judgment means in response to the alteration of the characteristic of the suspension.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A suspension controller for a vehicle having a suspension between a vehicle body and a wheel, comprising: vehicle height detection means for detecting the height of the vehicle and for generating a signal indicating the height of the vehicle; judgment means for comparing the amplitude of the vehicle height signal with preset reference signals to generate a judgment result signal; a suspension characteristic control means for altering a characteristic of the suspension depending on said judgment result signal; and a reference signal change means for changing the reference signals for the judgment means in response to the alteration of the characteristic of the suspension.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A suspension controller for a vehicle having front and rear wheels according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle height detection means comprises: means for measuring at least one of the distances between the vehicle body and the right front wheel, between the vehicle body and the left front wheel and between the vehicle body and a midpoint between the rear wheels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
A suspension controller according to claim 2, wherein said measuring means comprises: a suspension are coupled to the wheel and movable in accordance with vertical positioning of the wheel; and a potentiometer which is mounted on the vehicle body and is coupled to said suspension arm so that the potentiometer is rotated along with a motion of a suspension arm and the electric resistance of the potentiometer correspondingly changes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
A suspension controller according to claim 2, wherein said measuring means comprises: a suspension arm coupled to the wheel and movable in accordance with vertical positioning of the wheel; a plate which has a slit and is mounted on the vehicle body so that the plate is moved along with the motion of the suspension arm; and plural light interrupters which are turned off or on in correspondence with movement of said plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A suspension controller according to claim 2, wherein said measuring means comprises: means for selecting one of the distances between the vehicle body and the right front wheel, between the vehicle body and the left front wheel and between the vehicle body and the midpoint between the rear wheels as the vehicle height signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A suspension controller according to claim 2, wherein said measuring means comprises: means for selecting the largest of the three measured distances between the vehicle body and the right front wheel, between the vehicle body and the left front wheel and between the vehicle body and the midpoint between the rear wheels as the vehicle height signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A suspension controller according to claim 2, wherein said measuring means comprises: means for determining the average of the two measured distances between the vehicle body and the right front wheel and between the vehicle body and the left front wheel for use as the vehicle height signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein said judgment means comprises: means for generating a first judgment result signal when at least one of the maximum or minimum values of the vehicle height signal has exceeded the preset upper reference signals a prescribed number of times during a preset period; and means for generating a second judgment result signal when said at least one of the maximum or minimum values have become smaller than the preset lower reference signals a prescribed number of times during a preset period.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
A suspension controller according to claim 8, wherein said suspension characteristic control means comprises: means for controlling the characteristic of the suspension to decrease the amplitude of the vibration of the height of the vehicle when the first judgment result signal is received by the suspension characteristic control means; and means for controlling the characteristic of the suspension to increase the amplitude of the vibration of the height of the vehicle when the second judgment result signal is received by the suspension characteristic control means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes air suspensions characterized by spring constants, and wherein said suspension characteristic control means comprises: means for making the spring constants of the air suspensions large or small.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes shock absorbers characterized by damping forces, and wherein said suspension characteristic control means comprises: means for making the damping forces of the shock absorbers high or low.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes air suspensions, and wherein the suspension characteristic control means comprises: means for increasing or decreasing the height of the vehicle by means of the air suspensions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes air suspensions characterized by spring constants and shock absorbers characterized by damping forces, and wherein said suspension characteristic control means comprises: means for making the spring constants of the air suspensions large or small; and means for making the damping forces of the shock absorbers high or low.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A suspension controller according to claim 10, wherein the suspension characteristic control means makes the spring constants of the air suspensions large or small to increase or decrease the height of the vehicle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A suspension controller according to claim 13, wherein the suspension characteristic control means makes the damping forces of the shock absorbers high or low and causes the air suspensions to increase or decrease the height of the vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A suspension controller according to claim 13, wherein the suspension characteristic control means makes the spring constants of the air suspensions large or small to increase or decrease the height of the vehicle and makes the damping forces of shock absorbers high or low.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein the reference signal change means comprises: means for changing the reference signal to a higher level when the characteristic of the suspension is altered to decrease the amplitude of the vibration of the height of the vehicle; and means for changing the reference signal to a lower level when the characteristic of the suspension is altered to increase the amplitude of the vibration of the height of the vehicle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein the reference signal change means comprises: means for determining whether or not to change the reference signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
A suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein the reference signal change means comprises: means for determining when the speed of the vehicle is not lower than a present level; and means for changing the reference signal only when it is determined that the speed of the vehicle is not lower than the preset level.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4185845A
Cited
JPS5830542A
Cited
JPS5923712A
Cited
JPS5926638A
Cited
JPS59129613A
Cited
JPS59132408A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-06-08 | 1990-12-08 | 1991-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-06-08 | 1994-12-08 | 1995-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-06-08 | 1998-12-08 | 1999-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |